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How the Cure became the Cause: Examining Colorado’s Drug Decriminalization Policies with Steffan Tubbs

Jan 7, 2025

Illicit fentanyl has transformed the U.S. drug crisis into a national emergency that affects all ages, incomes, and communities. Despite the staggering toll, where is the policy change?

In this episode, we sit down with award-winning journalist and filmmaker, Steffan Tubbs, to uncover the harrowing truths behind America's fentanyl epidemic, as seen in his documentary Devastated: Colorado's Fentanyl Disaster. He examines the intersection of decriminalization policies, cartel operations, and societal complacency that have allowed this crisis to grow unchecked and calls us to take action to tackle the crisis.

Listeners will learn: 

  • Why fentanyl deaths continue to rise in states like Colorado despite national trends leveling off.
  • How cartels exploit America's addiction crisis and the policy gaps that enable them.
  • Why parents, policymakers, and the media need to start having real, uncomfortable conversations.
  • What solutions could help reverse the trajectory of this crisis.

 

 

Listen and subscribe on your favorite podcast player:

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

 

Views expressed in this material are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rigaku Analytical Devices.

 

To make sure you never miss an episode of The Opioid Matrix, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the website, or your favorite podcast player here: https://plinkhq.com/i/1625927161?to=page  

Michael W. Brown is the global director of counter-narcotics technology at Rigaku Analytical Devices. He has a distinguished career spanning more than 32 years as a Special Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He served as the country attaché in India and Myanmar; During his tour in Myanmar, he provided foreign advisory support for counter narcotic enforcement that, to date, has resulted in the interdiction of over US$250 million in precursor chemicals and implementing the regions first use of Raman spectroscopy to degrade the supply chain for narcotics production. He was also part of a special specialized counter narcotics unit operating in the jungles of South America tasked with locating and destroying drug labs and narcotic supply chains. Most recently he was the DEA Headquarters staff coordinator for the Office of Foreign Operations for the Middle East-Europe-Afghanistan-India. Michael is a graduate of the United States Ranger Training Battalion and has a master’s degree in interdisciplinary technology and management from the University of Eastern Michigan. Contact him at michael.brown@rigaku.com

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